iOS 4: Setting Secure Passcodes

Apple doesn’t limit iPhone and iPod touch passcodes to four digits in iOS 4, finally putting to rest one of the complaints about limited security features. Even better, secure passcodes are easy to setup.

Using a passcode on your iPhone or iPod touch locks the display so the only way to use apps or see the contents of your device is by first entering the correct code. In prior versions of the iPhone OS, those codes were relatively easy to guess because they were limited to four digits. In iOS 4, however, secure passcodes let you use any combination of letters, numbers and punctuation.

Now when you unlock your iPhone or iPod touch you’ll be presented with a full keyboard instead of a numeric keypad. Since you can create passwords with more than four digits, you’ll make it much harder for anyone to guess your code and get into your private data.